Spark-plug for explosive-engines.



J. 1 WHITE. SPARK PLUG FOR EXPLOSIVE ENGINES.

APPLICATION PILED MA Y11, 1909.

960,752. Patented June 7, 1910.

. Invenrar purl-En srntrns PATENT OFFICE.

JOSERH P. WHITE, OF SAVANNAH, GEORGIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF T ALEXANDERI P. SOLOMONfOF- SAVANNAH, GEORGIA.

SPARK-PLUG son EXPLOSIVE-ENGINESi.

To all'whom it may-concern:

Be it known that I, JosnrH P. Wnrrn,

, a citizen of the United States, residing at useful Improvements inSpark-Flu spark and consequently Savannah, in the county of State ofGeorgia, have invented new and for Explosive-Engines, of which the folowing of this class whereby the presence of foul or exploded gas aboutthe plug terminals is prevented, he strength of the explosions the powerof the engine is increased and uniformitylin the strength of theexplosions and consequent smooth or.

even running of the engine is insured.

A further object of the invention is to provide spark plugs of thisclass with a port or passage which leads from the cavity therein andinto a device that is preferably located on the exterior of the plug andperforms the dual function of mufiling the gas stance that may escapingfrom the cavity of'tlie plug at each explosion of the engine and alsofor cooling such gases sufficiently to prevent their igniting anygasolene or ot-herinfiammable sub be in proximity to the plng,

. this device in the 'present instance being on the line 3-3 of Fig.2;

sists in certain improvements, tions and arrangements of parts,

capable of adjustment whereby the amount of gas escaping from the portor passage of t e plugrnay be varied in order to insure thebest results.

To these and other ends, the invention con all as will be hereinaftermore full described, the novel features being poin in the claims at theend of the specification. In the accompanying drawing: Fi re 1 is a viewpartly in elevation and 'par ly in section of a spark tion of the cylin'er head to which the plug is applied being shown; Fig. 2 representsanexterior view of the i iproved plug;

Fi 3 represents a transverse section of the-p n Fig. 4 is a detailviewof the'threaded. socket section of the plug showing the escapepassageand chan- Specification of Letters Batent.

Chat/ham and relates to improvea smooth and even Furthermore, in orderto avoid any no se due-t'o"theescape of the gases at high presjo'rexplosion,

and combine out particularly plug constructed in accordance with mpresent invention, a por- In the present instance,

Patented June '1, 1910.

Application filed may 11 1909." Serial no. 495,291,

nel; and Fig. 5 is a detail view of the part which regulates the escapeof gas through the escape passage or port and the channel. Similar artsare designated by the same reference characters in the several views.

According tothe present invention, I provide means for venting theconsumed or foul gases from the cavity of the plug and from the zonesurroundingthe electrodes or terminals of the plug whereby the fresh gasentering the cylinder may also envelop the terminals of the plug and aninstantaneous, perfect or complete ignition of such gases is produced atevery impulse of the engine. Owing to the complete combustion of suchgases, there is no deposit of carbon or soot, the greatest power isdeveloped by the'explosions owing'to the complete and and the explo-.mom will be uniform in strength, insuringinstantaneousvcombustion,

running of the engine.

sure from the explosion zone at each impulse and also to prevent theignition; of anycombustible substance that may .be in the vicinity ofthe plug, I provide a devicewhich performsthe dual function of expandinsuch escaping gas until the noise is reduce to a minimum or, in otherWords, itis muffled and at the same time such gases are sufiicientlycooled before escaping as'to prevent the ignition of gasolene oranyother combustible or inflammable substance the plug terminals beingalsokept cool in this manner.

Various constructions may be adopted in carrying the invention intoeffect and while I have shown in the accompanying drawiug a constructionthat is generally preferable and is capable. of accomplishing thedesired results satisfactorily, it willrb'e understood that I have shownsuch form of the invention merely as an example, and that certainmodifications and changes may bemade which will be'included within thescope ofthe claims at the end of the specification.

1' designates the wall of the explosion-chamber into which the plug isinserted, it being usually the head of the engine cylinder and it iscustomary to thread the plugs into such head. The invention -in thepresent instance is shown applied to a plug of the generally well knowntype, it comprising asoclget secexplosion chamber, and an insulatingcore- 3 usually of porcelain or mica which has a gas-tight fit withinthe socket section 2 and --.1s secured therein by the nut 4, the core 3'carrying the central terminal or electrode 5 while the socket sectionusually carries the grounded terminal or electrode 6, a cavity 7 of moreor less extent being usually formed within the walls and at the innerend of the socket section.

In the present embodiment of the invention, I provide a port or passage8 which leads from the interior of the socket section or fromthecavitytherein and to ortoward the exterior of the plug, this passagein the present instance extending in a direction diagonally upward andoutward so as to bring its upper end above the threaded portion of thesocket section of the plug. This port 'or passage 8 leads to agas-expanding passage 9 which in'the present instance starts at theoutlet end of the port 8 and then extends around the exterior of theplug in a circumferential direction. Before this passage thus extendedreaches the outlet end of the port 8, it has an offset 10 formedtherein,

the assage being then prolonged for a suitable distance whereby it maybe of a length suflicient to expand the incandescent gases to such'anextent,.as, ,to muiilef them and reduce their temperatures belowtheignit-io'n point. Thedend llfof this passage in the present instanceextends pastthe beginning which receives the gases directly from theport 8. I It is generally preferable to provide means I for varying thedegree to which the gases are expanded or mutlled before being 11beratedto the atmosphere, and in the present instancefl have shown means forvarying the discharge ofthe explodedas from the port 8 to theatmosphere, wring 12being shown in the present instance which fits overthat part of the plug section in which the circumferential passage isformed, this surface being preferably cylindrical or at least round incross -'seetio n so that this ring serves to confine the gases .withinthe circumferential passage until they reach-the outlet point. This ringin the present instance i s provided with a vent 13 which is arranged tocommunicate with the end section ll, of the circumferential passage andby properly phaeingithe ring upon the plug section over which it fits,this vent may be so positioned with respect to this end section ofthe-dis charge passage as to provide an elongated or circuitous passagewhiclrthe gases-:imist traverse before venting to the "atmos here. Anysuitable means may be provided retainin'g this rin in proper position,it;' beiu,g preferably fitted ti htly on the plug, a screw 14 beingtapped through the ring in the present instance, the inner end of thisscrew being preferably pointed or tapered so that cumferential passageand cooperate with the walls thereof to obstruct to different degreesthe discharge of the ases without,'however, unduly obstructing t ispassage. If so desired, one or more enlarged portions 15'may be formedin the end section of the cireum-- ferential passage at which points thescrew may rest without unduly restricting to any material degree theescape of the" gas herethrough.

In practice, the plug is so adjusted that a permanent vent is providedfor the escape of a suitable quantity of the exploded gas from thecavity of the plug or the zone surrounding the electrodesbetweenqvhichthe spark jumps. At each explosion of the engine, and afterthe explosion, any consumed or foul gas remaining within the cavity ofthe plu or within the zone surroundim the termina ls or electrodes ofthe plug will be vented to the atmosphere and the incoming charge offresh gas will. thereby enter the cavity'of the plug and also-enter thezone surrounding the terminals. The passing of it may so enter the endportion 11 of the cira the spark between the tei'minals' willtherebycause an instantaneous and powerful explosion owing to thepresence of the fresh or unfouled ases around them, and as fresh gassurrounds the terminals, powerful explosions of uniform strength areinsured,

through the relatively long and circuitous passage before venting to theatmosphere, such gases Wlll be mufilcd so as to render the operationpractically noiseless and such' gases when they vent to the atmospherewill be of a relatively low temperature that will be insufiicient toignite. gasolene or any other inflammable or combustible substancethatmay be in the vicinity of the plug. The adjustment provided enables theplu to be set according to the size of the cylin er and to otherconditions whereby the; best-results may be obtained in applyingthe-plug to different engines.

I claim as my invention:

1. A spark plug for explosive engines provided with terminals and havinga. re- .stricted vent passage communicating with the ignition zone ofits terminals and a relatively larger gas expanding passage to receivethe gas from said vent passage and terminating in a restricted outlet,sald passages and outlet being of a size to permit them to remainpermanently open to the atgasesfrom said zone during the operation ofthe engine mosphere to permit discharge of consumed in sai edema. 1 a

2. A spark plugof the class desdribed I provided with terminals andhaving a cir 'cumferentially extendin gas expanding pas-' sagecommunicating wit the i' ition zone ofits terminals and capable oexpanding such gases tocool them below the lgnition .point before'phere.

3. A spark plug for explosive, Lengines havin a cavity therein andterminals withexpelling. them to the atmo's stricted vent passage leadng from said cavity, a circumferentially e gated and enlar ed passageand a restricted outlet there or, said passages and outlet being'of asize and shape to mufii'e the escaping gases 'and reducing theirtemperature below the ignition point, and a"regu lating device for varyithe obstruction ofiered to such gases by sai passages; ,l

' 4; A spark plug. for e: losive' engines provided with terminals aridhaving a vent passage "communicating with the ignition mg the gas fromsaid vent passage and reduein its. temperaturebelow 'the ignition" pointhefore issuing to the atmosphere;

5. A spark plug of the class' described haYl, I a portion provided witha ing from said cavity.

6. A spark plug of the class descrihed provided with terminals andhaving'a tortuous passage provided withganofiset lead ing from theignition zone 9f its terminals said passage terminating an a permanentlyopen restricted outlet.

7. A spark lug of the classdescribed comprising a portion provided witha cavity and terminals adjacent thereto, said portion having .a'circuitous passage which leads from said cavity and 1s elongated'in adirection peripherally of said portion.

cavity, the plug also a, re-- expanding] passage zone ofits terminals,and also having a peripherally extending passage for rece1vdifferentdegrees the passage having a cavity and terminals adjacent thereto, saidplug also having a vent pasnating in a restricted outlet, and a mufilingdevice having means at'a oint intermediate its length for varying t eobstruction of said passage which the gases .musttraverse before passingto the atmosphere.

provided with terminals and having a vent passage communicating with theignition zone of its terminals and also having agasextending.circumferentially roof, and a member having an outlet tocommunicate'with said circumferential passage, said member beingprovided gasto said outlet from the circumferential P a I 10i A spark.plug having a vent passage ,and a roove leading from the vent passage,and a and or sleeve .covering said groove and-provided with an outlet toreceive the exploded. gas discharging through said groove.- j

11. A s ark lu havin a vent assa e leading fr dmit' s in terior a idalso h ving a groove leading. from the-vent passage and elongateduponthe periphery of the plug,

."a sleeve'l'fixed tothe exterior of the plug having a'circuitouspassage'le and forming a covering for said-groove,

'ploded gas discharging through the groove, and a set-screw adaptedtoproject laterally into said groove and thereby. obstruct to (of gasthere-. through. v

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set nesses.

8. A spark plug for explosive engines JIW. Por'rmmss.

sage leading from 'saidmavity and .termir. I

9. A spark lug of the*class described with a rotatable part to adjustthe flow of said sleeve having a vent to receive the ex my hand inpresence of two subseribing. wit- Jossrnr, a a

